Transforming Our Worldview Towards a Sustainable Future

Abstract

Need for a Paradigm ChaNge Stuck on Economic Growth "Making progress towards (sustainability) is like going to a country we have never been to before… We do not know what the destinations will be like, we cannot tell how to get there, we are not even sure which direction to take" (Prescott-Allen 2001). The journey to the future is a learning process shared by everyone: learning and creating our common future at the same time. However, there seems to be a great obstacle narrowing our scope of learning. We seem not to get rid of unsustainable behaviour patterns in our daily lives. Time after time we manage to collectively create results nobody wants. This is true with regard to environmental and social problems, for instance, climate change and refugee waves sweeping over Europe. These problems, and the unwanted results seem to be linked to our narrow understanding of the complex interactions between

Finnish Students’ Knowledge of Climate Change Mitigation and Its Connection to Hope

“…According to Saribas et al [26], teachers were regularly paying attention to involving low carbon emission through simple actions such as using renewable energy sources, recycling, and choosing public transportation [26]. Higde, Oztekin, and Sahin [27] found in their Turkish studies that pre-service science teachers incorporated pro-environmental actions, such as turning off lights, using less energy, and walking and cycling instead of driving a motor vehicle. However, pre-service science teachers changed their purchasing habits, such as consuming products in reusable or recyclable packages and purchasing local food products, less frequently than other mitigation means.…”

Why Education 4.0 Is Not Enough – Education for Sustainable Future

“…This will require transformative learning, i.e. ability to see things differently, or from helicopter view, in a holistic way, making it possible to see numerous alternatives and renewing basic assumptions ( [10], [11]). In practical pedagogical solutions this means that agency in everyday situations is promoted: Students can expand their learning by questioning existing practices, analysing them critically, and modelling new forms of activities and practices in co-operation with others.…”

“…Our approach is based on innovation pedagogy ( [7], [9]) and transformative learning ( [10], [11]) as well as posthumanism ( [12]). In this study, we used triangulation/mixing methods, where different research 2 materials and methods were utilized.…”

Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in Times of Rising Right-Wing Populism in Europe

“…These strategies and policies have, however, often come under critique for representing "rhetorics which disguise well-known conflicts about concepts, goals and instruments" [20] (p. 3), rather than bringing about transformative change. Hence, the SD challenges are considered too "wicked" to be addressed by new technology and policy approaches, and researchers are calling for an understanding of how underlying factors, such as social values, beliefs, motivations and worldviews (tacit and known) are fostering or hindering solutions to solving complex sustainability challenges [18,19,21]. Utilising the theory of worldviews as an analytical starting point allows us to discern the similarities and differences between ontological, axiological, epistemological and societal vision, as is presented in discourses and strategies, not only on an individual level, but also as a shared and collective understanding that influences how individuals interpret and understand the society in which they live [22].…”